Manila—Senator Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos has sought to
quell the panic of local rice farmers over cheap imports that threaten to push
down the buying price of palay even more when harvest time begins in late
September.
Local farmers have lost as
much as 41.6% of their investment in August, with the farmgate price of
palay plunging to as low as PHP7 per kilo, compared to their average
production cost of Php12.
Marcos asserted that a number
of near-term solutions were available to the government to at least bring back
the 17-peso support price of palay, like activating provisions in the
six-month-old rice tariffication law, tapping into existing support programs,
and considering solutions adopted by other Asian countries.
“Let’s not exaggerate that
the situation of our rice farmers is hopeless and that little can be done,” Ms.
Marcos said.
The senator said that the
government can provide more funding support for rice farmers by activating
Section 7 of the rice tariffication law, which allows the President to raise
the current 35% tariff on rice imports from Thailand and Vietnam.
The higher 180% tariff on
rice imports from non-Asean
countries can also stand a further increase, so that the government can earn
more revenue intended for rice farmer support, Marcos added.
“If South Korea and Japan
have imposed import tariffs of 500% to 800% to protect their local farmers, why
can’t we?” Ms. Marcos asked.
Ms. Marcos also cited how
Singapore prevents rice traders from manipulating prices by cornering 25% of
private rice imports when smuggling is detected, buying them at cost with a 5%
margin.
The Department of Agriculture
also has a calamity measure known as the “quick response fund” that can be
tapped, Ms. Marcos said, to buy palay from local farmers and triple the
government’s “currently inadequate” rice buffer stock good only for 30 days.
Recipients of the Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P’s) can also receive rice subsidies instead of
cash, with rice bought from local farmers using the PHP28 billion that
the social welfare program provides.
Stricter phytosanitary
requirements can also be imposed on rice imports to slow down their entry and
market distribution, Ms. Marcos added.
The Philippines can also
include rice in a “special products list” according to World Trade Organization
rules, which allows more flexible trade arrangements when livelihood
security is at risk, Ms. Marcos also said.
In an agricultural committee
hearing last week, Ms. Marcos already pressured the National Food Authority to
immediately sell more than 4 million bags of imported rice stocked in its
warehouses and use expected proceeds of more than Php6 billion to buy palay
from local farmers.
“We can save our rice farmers
if we could just be thorough in our tasks, work hard, and get things done
ASAP,” Ms. Marcos said. (BBV)
Comments
Post a Comment